Behind Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), a long list of House Democrats hailed President Obama's support for gay marriage Wednesday, saying Republicans are "on the wrong side of history" for their continued opposition.

The swift and enthusiastic reaction from Pelosi and others is indication that the Democrats see support for gay marriage as a political benefit  not an albatross  on the campaign trail this year.

Obama on Wednesday ended his years-long balancing act surrounding gay marriage, telling ABC News that he "personally" thinks same-gender couples should have the legal right to wed.

Pelosi, the House Democratic leader, said Obama's move "marks progress" in the country's "march toward equality."

"With President Obamas support, we look forward to the day when all American families are treated equally in the eyes of the law," Pelosi said in a statement.

The San Francisco liberal hammered Republicans in North Carolina for successfully pushing an amendment, passed Tuesday, to define marriage as exclusively between a man and a woman. She also attacked GOP leaders in the House for proposing to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act without including blanket protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Republicans are standing on the wrong side of history," Pelosi said. "These actions only serve to advance fundamental unfairness in our society."

"We must continue to fight  in the courts, in state legislatures, and in Congress  until all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans are guaranteed fair treatment in our country," Pelosi wrote in the email.

Obama for years has frustrated the gay-rights community with his refusal to endorse gay marriage, saying that he was against it that but his views were "evolving."

On Sunday, that delicate argument became unglued after Vice President Biden told NBC's "Meet the Press" that he is "absolutely comfortable" with gay marriage. White House officials downplayed Biden's remarks as the independent opinion of a vice president speaking off-the-cuff, but they couldn't get the cat back in the bag, forcing Obama on Wednesday to clarify his position.

"At a certain point Ive just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married," Obama said in an interview with ABC's Robin Roberts.

Conservative groups pounced. The Log Cabin Republicans, a group of gay GOPers, said Obama's timing was "offensive and callous" because his endorsement came too late to sway the North Carolina vote, while the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) warned that Obama's move will cost him a number of swing states in November.

"President Obama has now made the definition of marriage a defining issue in the presidential contest, especially in swing states like Ohio, North Carolina, Virginia, Florida and Nevada, Brian Brown, NOM's president, said in a statement. Voters in all these states, and over two dozen more, have adopted state constitutional amendments defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman."

Still, Democrats don't appear to see the issue as a liability, as a number of Democrats  leaders and rank-and-file members alike  were quick to join Pelosi in cheering Obama's move.

Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.), vice chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, called Obama's shift "a milestone in our fight to secure equal rights for all Americans;" Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.), one of four openly gay members of Congress, thanked Obama "for his for his support for equality;" and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) characterized Obama's position as "truly wonderful and welcome news."

"One of the greatest and most liberating human emotions is acceptance," Welch said in a statement. "And what the President did today was accept that the quality of love two people share is more important than their gender."

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), an openly gay member of Congress, released a statement noting that Obama's decision was not without political risk.

"But I believe it will be clear in the days ahead that this will cost him no votes, since those opposed to legal equality for LGBT people were already inclined to oppose him, and that it will make it easier for us to mobilize the people in this country who oppose discrimination to help reelect him," Frank said.

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) called the announcement HUGE in a tweet. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) called it a historic step.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand ‏ (D-N.Y.) thanked the president for his leadership on LGBT equality and later went on to ask her followers to join her in expressing their public support for the president. And Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) said all Americans deserve to have a long and happy marriage like her own.

Democrats including Sens. Mark Udall (Colo.) and Charles Schumer (N.Y.), Reps. Jim Himes (Conn.) and Jackie Speier (Calif.) and mayors from D.C., Newark and New York City rushed Twitter within the first hour of the interview to add their support to Obama's position and express their own opinions.

"Obama did the right thing by coming out for same-sex marriage. The drive towards equality in America is inexorable," Schumer said.

A Gallup poll released Tuesday found that Americans are split down the middle when it comes to gay marriage, with 50 percent of respondents indicating support. That figure is down from 53 percent in the same poll last year, but up from 27 percent in 1996, when Gallup first broached the question.

I think at best...he lost around one million votes with this decision. Most of the votes though...come from southern states, and I think his team has settled on the idea that other than possibly Florida....he won’t take a single southern state.

I also think there’s big donation bundles sitting there now....that were going to require to make this comment to get the big cash flow that he absolutely needs. For around $100 million....I’m pretty he feels that the comment was worth the money.

Bottom line....he could have said this three years ago and declined...so it ought to make you think about what has happened to his campaign now and how far down they might be for cash.

Pox on them all for violating the Almighty’s design for the purpose of marriage. No HIStory will show them how very wrong they were and in gross error against His design. Good luck with that radical leftists.

Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.